LFS' - Special orders from customers on drygoods?

[Anonymous]

How do you feel about customers asking for special orders on drygoods? - Do you only get them on a really RARE basis or what?


I started a poll "topside" (since this is basically the "industry sump" in all essence) to try and get an idea if I'm pretty much alone in this.

http://www.reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=85227

 

[JennM]

I did not vote in the poll since I'm not a hobbyist per se anymore - but FWIW I do a lot of special order stuff. In fact most of my dry goods order coming this week is special order stuff, and a few bits and pieces to replenish store stock.

If I can offer a competitive price on an item that will have a deposit paid on it, and be out the door within a couple of days of its arrival here, it's win/win for myself and the customer. Plus the customer gets the value added of having our support in any warranty issues, help assembling, and other after-sales support.

Quite a few of my customers take advantage of this, and we let everyone know that if we don't have it, we can get it.

Jenn

 

[Fish World1]

I also do a lot of special orders on drystock for customers. As JennM said it's a win/win situation.

 

[dcamp]

I do a lot of special orders for customers. If I know it is going right out and a deposit is placed, I have no problems with doing special orders. It is much easier to do special orders than to try to stock everything that someone might want. Also if I don't have to shelf it I can be more competitive on pricing.

 

[Anonymous]

Let me hijack for a second since most of you mentioned deposits. What do you do if customer puts one down, then comes in and says he doesn't want product anymore but wants deposit back? Things being the way they are these days it's like the deposit is meaningless cause some people will find a way to "extort" (for lack of a better word) back from you.

 

[JennM]

I have a policy of a 15% restocking fee if the order is cancelled... that comes off the deposit, and the refund is in store credit, not cash. It has only ever happened once in 4 years that I can recall.

There is no refund on deposits for custom merchandise. If somebody orders an Oceanic custom tank, they are paying for it, and for something like that I get a signature on a contract for it. Never had an issue there either.

Maybe I need to knock on wood now?

Jenn

 

[dcamp]

The customer is told up front that is a non refundable deposit. If I could afford to stock it there would already be one on the shelf.

Only promlem I ever had was when a item was back ordered for a couple months. Money was refunded because I could not get the product.